GeorgeInNePa Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 I've heard of this happening, but have never seen it happen. Now I've seen it up close and personal. I had a .40 detonate on me at a match this past Sunday. My Limited gun has been giving me some trouble with the occasional hammer follow. The first stage it happened again and I racked the slide to get'er going again, when I did, I grabbed the top of the slide with an overhand grip. I had my left thumb on the left of the slide, my fingers were wrapped over the top, touching the right side of the slide with the gun tilted to the left. My left ring finger was over the ejection port. As I racked the slide there was a loud bang, the first thing that came to mind was "Oh hell, I'm going to get DQ'ed, but then I thought, "there's no way I had a finger on the trigger". Then I thought "Damn, my hand hurts!" quickly followed by "Oh no, I shot myself!", after another second or so I realized what happened. My finger must have been over the ejection port enough to block the round from ejecting, causing the round to hit the ejector. Here's what it looks like today: There is a piece of brass in my finger, I'd guess 1/4"X5/16", from what it looked like on the X-Ray. I'm going to the local surgery center tomorrow to have it removed. The cut on my palm below the ring finger doesn't have any shrapnel in it. I'd like to recommend to everyone not to do the "over the top" slide rack, it hurts when you do that! PS If you are wondering, I had 7 rounds to go on stage 1 when this happened, a ZERO for that one, but I shot the rest of the 8 Stage, 200rd match with a borrowed gun and did pretty decent, considering. I think I should get a few extra points for finishing the match. At least have all my D's turned into C's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Hunter Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 wow...get well soon. what kind of gun was it? is the gun okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 wow...get well soon.what kind of gun was it? is the gun okay? Thanks, I'm fine, nursing a beer right now. The gun is a STI framed custom, it's fine, but it is getting a new hammer this week, it got a new sear last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Ouch! Sorry about your luck George. I saw the same thing happen to Latewatch a couple of years ago with a Glock. Note to self: do not let the muzzle or ejection port cover body parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Boit Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Damn' ! Get well soon, I know how it feels when this happens ! It happened to me few years ago, I had my thumb above the ejection port when the ammo detonated. It's a strange thing to feel your heart beating in your finger ! It seems to me that more and more people are concerned by this . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 I sure am glad I am hardheaded. I have been slingshot racking for ever and a bunch of people have told me I need to switch to hand-over-top 'to gain more control'. Good to hear the injury isn't a season ender. Get well soon!! PS, SuperGlue over the stitches and they won't tear out at the next match ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Get well soon, George. I'll try to learn from your lesson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Damn, George. That sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 wow...get well soon.what kind of gun was it? is the gun okay? George, I hope you are feeling better. Hopefully, the doc gave you good pain drugs. Darvocet and Vicodin are good choices. (Ask me about the USPSA Nationals in 2004. Don't remember much! Others described me as "very happy.") You showed a lot of the usual gumption...ahem, stupidity...bravery to shoot the rest of the match. Anyway, We love you and hope you are doing better, but what about the gun???? Will it be up and running anytime soon??? Inquiring shooters want to know. Get better soon, you have a lot of rounds just begging to be sent on their merry way downrange. Liota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the scar on my left hand pointer finger.... I will not, and recommend to all to NOT put their hand over the ejection port when unloading , and for those that do the Flip thingie to catch their round......I tell them as well. Hang in there, DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 DAMN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDuke Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 George, thanks for taking the time to post this. I have a buddy who uses the 'overhand' method to rack his slide. I've tried to make him aware of the danger, and I've encouraged him to either change his method or make sure those fingers are NEVER over the ejection port. I will send him a link to this thread so he can see for himself! Glad you're doing fine. It could have been worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Wow. I seldom see anyone actually clear a jam any other way than what just bit you. I need to figure out a safer way and right now. Glad your fingers still work! Hold your ice cold beer with those fingers and it will help dull the pain.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 Thanks for the well wishes. I underestimated the size of the piece, it is 7/16" X 5/16". The nurses were impressed when the Doc removed it. I'll post a pic when I get home from work tonight. Liota, I've got some Darvocet for the pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickster Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Same thing happened to me... sort of. A bulged case in the Para wouldn't let the slide go into full battery. I tried to rack the slide back to eject it but it wouldn't budge. A forum member, Kevin, aka IPSC Supercop was kind enough to show me the technique to rack it loose. However, due to his enthusiasm to help a fellow shooter must have had his hand over the port becuause when he racked it to break it free the primer hit the extended ejector and BANG!, brass chunks went flying. Soon as I got home I ground off the extended part of the ejector. Lesson learned. Keep your hands away from that ejection port! Good thing the PD didn't sue me for trying to disable one of their finest cops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey QuicksDraw! Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Ouch! Sorry your hurt but glad that it was not worse. You surely get an award for continuing the match wounded. Much tougher than I am. I'd of been squeeling like a little girl as someone drove me to the bar and then home. Take a lesson everyone. Lets hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. Get well soon, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 What happened is the extracror lost tension & when you rack it back hard, the shell drops from underneth the extractor. The bullet being heavier went down, putting the primer up & it hit the ejector,BANG. As long as you have tenson on the extractor, this will not happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 What happened is the extracror lost tension & when you rack it back hard, the shell drops from underneth the extractor. The bullet being heavier went down, putting the primer up & it hit the ejector,BANG. As long as you have tenson on the extractor, this will not happen. Benny, there is a brand new (less than 1500rds) Aftec in this gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Man, you know you got it bad when you take frag in the hand, and finish the match.... Gotta respect that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigp226 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Gotta feel bad for the guys on his squad (like me)who had to shoot after him on this stage. George made the pit all bloody!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted May 24, 2006 Author Share Posted May 24, 2006 As promised here are the pics of the piece of brass and my finger, after the removal. Be warned the finger looks like I went over it with a cheese grater. The brass: The finger: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Glad to hear that it wasn't worse George. Thanks for sharing your story and the pics (they came out rather nice). Hope you're feeling better soon and back out on the range in no time. Note to self: keep body parts away from both ends of boom-boom stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Sorry, though you were trying to show clear on the gun, when the hammer follows & does't catch on the 1/2 cock notch, it's a big bang. I have seen this many times. Hope all is going well. You will be shooting A's again soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 glad to see you're ok. that's why i try never to cup the ejection port. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBF Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 OUCH ! Heal fast ! Travis F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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